How many times have you seen children spanked by their parents for misbehaving or throwing a tantrum in the store? It is a very common act of physical punishment used by many parents. The painful act of disciplining children dates back generations and is seen as an effective way to correct bad behavior. Defined by the Oxford English Dictionary, spanking is “The action of hitting or slapping with an open hand as punishment” (“Spanking n.”). Although it may seem very practical at the time it is administered, it does not improve the child's behavior and can lead to serious long-term effects. Parents should avoid spanking their children because this can lead to long-term effects on the child such as antisocial behavior and cognitive development. For starters, spanking is seen as an innocent form of physical discipline. However, parents are unaware that spanking contributes to antisocial behaviors such as aggressive and violent behavior in children. Children who are repeatedly spanked become accustomed to it and learn to believe that it is acceptable behavior, “…spanking sets a bad example, teaching children that aggressive behavior is the solution to parents' problems” (Park1). As a result, when they become adults they display aggressive and violent behavior towards others. An example: as adults they are more likely to hit their significant other or their children, continuing the cycle. Spanking also induces pain and fear and does not convey the message to the child of what he or she has done wrong. Children tend to do worse when spanked, "...children who were spanked were more likely than those who were not spanked to be defiant, to demand immediate satisfaction of their wants and needs, to be easily frustrated, to have a ...... paper medium... that children who are spanked probably have a lower vocabulary than a child who has never been spanked Another downside of spanking is that over time it can easily escalate into a real and own abuse. What is important is communication between parent and child and finding other more effective punishments. Works Cited Haeuser, Adrienne Ahlgren. “Can we STOP physical punishment of children?” Education Digest 56.1 (1990): 67-69. Premier of Academic Research. November 11, 2013. Netburn, Deborah. “Spanking Your Kids Could Affect Their Vocabulary Down the Road.” Los Angeles Times, October 21, 2013. Web. November 6, 2013. Alice. “The Long-Term Effects of Spanking.” Time 175.17 (2010): 51. Premier academic research. Network. 6 November 2013."spanking, n.". OED online. September 2013. Oxford University Press. November 6 2013